Learn photography with Big Mark

TESTIMONIAL

"My experience with Big Mark was one of great learning and good company. I felt listened to and respected which helped me feel comfortable in the learning environment. With Big Mark's calm and simplified teaching approach I really felt I gained a much deeper knowledge of how to use my camera in the way I have always wanted too but wasn't able to do on my own."

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Alana J

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ABOUT BIG MARK
‍Big Mark started photography back in the year 1988 at the age of 15. His first camera was a Cosina film SLR. It wasn’t until 2009 that he started using digital cameras and he loved the new format so much that he decided to completely change careers. Big Mark studied at Photoschool in 2010 before starting Big Mark Photography in 2011.

STYLE
Big Mark specialises in environmental portraiture, capturing people in environments that are comfortable and represent who it is that they are. He uses off-camera light quite extensively to create images that are bold and revealing. Big Mark also likes to shoot land and oceanscapes, typically making use of long exposures to create dynamic images. As a commercial photographer, Big Mark specialised in conference and event photography, food, product and lifestyle images.
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QUALIFICATIONS
New Zealand Diploma of Photography – Southern Institute of Technology
Diploma of Screen Production – Southern Institute of Technology
Certificate in Digital Media - Yoobee
Certificate in Practical Photography - Photoschool

workshop

WELCOME TO THE BEGINNERS GUIDE

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The Beginners Guide helps you to learn the fundamentals of photography and the basics of your camera. It's the ideal course to take if you are new to photography, have just bought a new camera, you want to take better pictures of your kids, if you need to take photos for work.

‍By teaching you fundamentals, the tools that you need to be able to get the photos you've always wanted to take.

The course is suitable for people of all ages and skill levels, you can be an absolute beginner, or someone that needs a bit of a refresher. If you are under 18 then your parent or guardian can come along, and you are also welcome to bring a support person along as well if you wish.

Sessions can be held anywhere in the Wellington region. For your comfort, we generally start at a local café of your choice before we move to another location so that we can practice your skills. Big Mark will pay for coffee and cake :)

Each session runs for at least four hours, with email follow-ups and critique available after the session as required.

Big Mark is double-vaccinated and boosted and will be masked for the duration of the session. Business information and policies are here.

THE BEGINNERS GUIDE COVERS:

‍● How to use your camera: The basic settings

● The exposure triangle: What are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and how are they connected

● The basics of composition: Learning the rules and knowing when to break them

● The correct exposure: what the "correct" exposure is, how it can be entirely subjective, and how to get it right every time

● Colour balance: Finding the right balance, what mixed lighting is, and how to use it to your creative advantage

● Depth of field: The difference between shallow and deep depth of field and when to use it

● Shooting in RAW JPEGs

● The plane of focus: What is the plane of focus and focusing strategies ‍

NOTES

● These sessions are only available for people living or able to travel to Wellington

.● A camera with manual settings is required.

● My health limits where I am able to travel to. So no big hikes!

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NZ$195 including GST

BOOK NOW

workshop

LEARN OFF-CAMERA LIGHT

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‍Take your photography to the next level

Do you want to add a new dimension to your photography?

Learning how to effectively use off-camera light can help you take your photography to the next level. This course introduces you to the world of supplemental lighting and teaches you the technical skills you need to know in order to create images that would be impossible with just natural light.

This is a very technical course, and a basic understanding of light, exposure, and how to use your camera is a must. You need to have your own camera with full manual controls, and it needs to have a standard hot shoe mount. If your camera has interchangeable lenses, then the lens that you feel most comfortable taking pictures of people is the best to bring along. It is preferred if you can bring your own triggers and flash/strobe if you have one (to ensure compatibility) but Big Mark will also have all the lighting gear and triggers you will need on the day. The course focuses on using off-camera light in environmental portraiture, however the skills that you learn here can be used in many other situations as well.

This is an outdoors course, as one of the principles that we learn is how to balance off-camera light with ambient light.

The Learn Off Camera Light course runs for at least eight hours and includes breaks for coffee and a light lunch.

For the last two hours of the session, we will have a portfolio shoot with a model. This gives you some hands-on experience and some images to take away at the end of the day for use in your portfolio and for further study.

Big Mark is double-vaccinated and boosted and will be masked for the duration of the session. Business information and policies are here.

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LEARN OFF-CAMERA LIGHT COVERS:

● A review of the fundamentals of your camera

● Learn the ways that shutter-speed, aperture and ISO settings impact your final images

● Sync speed

● The inverse square law

● How to use light direction to help tell your story

● How to balance off-camera and ambient light

● Working with a subject to help get the photos that you want

● Lighting modifiers and the difference between soft and hard light

● A whole host of "tips, tricks and rules of thumb"

After the session, you will be emailed a PDF booklet that summarises everything learned on the day, and you are welcome to keep in touch with Big Mark via email to follow up the things you have learned or for further critique.